“My sister trusts me enough to leave me alone under your roof. What can I say? I’ve always been an enterprising fellow. Much like yourself, clearly.”
Sebastian considered his options. He wouldn’t be bankrupt. Close to it, but he could survive. He had been meaning to sell two other properties anyways and that would help.
But could he survive with being blackmailed?
“I won’t––”
“I’ll ruin her,” Thomas added helpfully. His blank expression with his eyes left Sebastian speechless. Many times in his life, he had witnessed cruel men. He had argued with them and fought them and learned how to beat them. Somehow, he would beat Thomas as well in his own game.
How? I don’t know what to do. Blast it, I don’t know what to do. How am I supposed to protect Isabel?
“You wouldn’t do that to your own family,” Sebastian said, deciding to call him on his bluff. It had to be. Didn’t it? Only Thomas was known for his unorthodox ways of playing cards…
“I can ruin her future. I can ruin your estate. And in case I need to make myself clear, if you attempt to expose me––to anyone,such as Isabel––then I will further ruin her. Do you understand me?”
“How? She hasn’t done anything wrong––”
“It doesn’t have to be about her.” Thomas scoffed. “It could be about you. I’ve learned a few stories about you, after all. And I know plenty about the people in Isabel’s life. The list is small, but I paid attention. I can ruin her maid in more ways than one, after all. And her dear friend Emilia? Oh, I could ruin that girl’s entire family. I can make matters so awful that Isabel could never recover. Because she won’t have another marriage to hide behind,” he added sharply.
For a lot of his life, Sebastian hadn’t been able to rely on other people for much or for long. He had received the occasional support. Marcus had helped him on the streets. And the others in the Compass Rose had helped him learn how to be a gentleman again. But for much of his life he knew he had to stand on his own two feet.
Only now, he wasn’t so sure. He desperately wanted to pull in his friends for help. Someone could tell him what to do. Marcus could help him trick his way out of this. Ronan could fight with him through words or bets. Someone might have a trick up their sleeve…
But Sebastian had nothing. Only his heart, which was breaking for Isabel right then.
I ruined everything for her. How could I let it get any worse?
“Fine, but… But she comes home with me,” Sebastian tried. “I tell her that all is well and I’ll do better for her.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. She’s not your pawn. No, it’s time you let her go. How long have you two been married? Six weeks? Seven? No. It’s time you let her go.”
He stiffened. “What?”
“Let her go. You lost your chance at protecting her. That’s what she always said, you know. You protected her. And now she’ll never trust you. She’ll never look at you the same. Truly, I’m saving you both a world of heartache. It’s my turn to protect her now.”
“No, wait––”
Thomas gave him a small shove, and for some reason, Sebastian let him. “You don’t have Isabel any longer, do you understand me? You’re free of her now. Isn’t that what you wanted all along?”
No! No, no, no, that was never it. That was never what I wanted. Blast it!
A hot and fierce fury burned through Sebastian as he imagined drilling his fists into the man’s face. He wanted to hurt Thomas more than he had wanted to hurt anyone in a long time. The man was an absolute viper. How could Sebastian have ever thoughthe was harmless? How had he not thrown the man out the door at once?
It was always for Isabel.
And it was for Isabel as Sebastian swallowed his anger and forced himself to shake hands with Thomas, agreeing to the blackmail.
Then he was left in the hall, slowly realizing just how much his silence would cost him his wife. That he was losing Isabel. A woman he had come to respect, to like, to… to even love.
He scrubbed away sudden dampness on his face and walked off, not knowing what would become of him now that he had lost her.
CHAPTER 29
She couldn’t breathe.
There wasn’t enough oxygen in all the world for Isabel when she saw that woman in Sebastian’s arms. Her husband holding someone else. The two of them so close, so intimate, together in a way he would never let her.
“It cannot be.” That was what Sebastian would tell her.
